Jace
It’s Monday afternoon. It’s been almost two full days since I’ve talked to Lennox.
The media is still talking about the missing funds, pointing fingers at Lennox and Andi while the Wings of Hope foster home have completely turned on him, even though he’s only ever shown them massive support in the last couple of years.
I hate to see him going through this and I hate even more that there’s nothing I can do to help. I have to lay low, especially because we’re so closely connected with the movie promotion and I can’t give the judge—or my mother—anything they can use against me. I fucking hate it.
This is just another way I feel powerless. I just keep telling myself it’s only a couple more days.
Hopefully.
Getting out of the shower, I dry off, get dressed, and make myself presentable for the game tonight.
The SoCal Spartans are announcing the dedication of their largest suite in the name of Iron Horizon.
Being that the Spartans were James and Ryan’s favorite hockey team they were often seen at the games, and even created a kids hockey foundation for less fortunate children that couldn’t afford the gear to play.
I’ve only been to a handful of hockey games, but admittedly, I’m looking forward to spending time with Lennox more than the actual sporting event.
An hour later Howard and I are heading to pick up Lennox and I’m more than anxious to see him. We’ve only sent a handful of texts back and forth and I have no idea what kind of headway he’s made with the lost money.
Déjàvu hits me like an unexpected tsunami when Lennox steps out of his building wearing a Spartans jersey and jeans snug against his legs. The Spartans black and yellow logo displayed in the middle of his baseball cap and he’s sporting that signature smile like he doesn’t have a care in the world.
It’s a different outfit than the one he wore when Raymond and I picked him up to head to the cabin but the feeling is all the same.
Curiosity and desire mix into a whirlwind of emotions but this time I know what it feels like with his lips against mine. What his body looks like fully naked and desperate. How complete I feel when he sleeps next to me.
An unavoidable smile crosses my face when he slides into the backseat. The moment Howard shuts the door he shifts toward me, turns his hat backward, and lunges his body on top of mine, landing a bruising kiss against my lips.
His tongue clashes with mine like it’s been days—because it has—since he’s had a taste and it feels like oxygen to my starving lungs.
“I missed you, too,” I say between kisses as the car accelerates, matching the pace of my racing heart. “You’ve been quiet.”
“I didn’t want to weigh you down with my shit. You have enough to deal with.” His admission tugs against my sensitive heartstrings and I love how protected I feel with him.
“I didn’t like it.”
“Neither did I.”
The venue is only a couple miles from Lennox’s building so we pull up in what feels like only a few seconds. Lips swollen, cheeks flushed, but we force ourselves away from each other knowing we can’t push this any further.
Howard opens the door and I run my fingers through my hair, fixing the rebel strands from the grip Lennox had on it and step out.
Apparently, it’s known we were coming because there’s a crowd of people lined up at the back entrance with a handful of security guys standing guard.
We both wave, my gorgeous man smiles, of course ignoring some of the patrons that are yelling, some asking about the foundation money.
Slithering our way through, we step into the venue; the air is crisp and cool. The kind that only comes with a building with a ground made of ice. We make it to the suite just as the game is starting and the announcer introduces the line up for Spartans.
Half the cast and crew are already here and they cheer and clap as we walk in.
Sofia and Wren are chatting in the corner, red wine glasses in both their hands as they sport their favorite players jerseys.
Some of the crew is sitting down at chairs against the railing of the overhang and everyone is smiling and having a great time.
It’s been quite a while since we’ve all been together.
Usually I’m not one to join the cast and crew parties—mostly because of my mother’s schedule limitations—but this is specific for the press tour and it’s the first time that, not only do I want to be here, I feel a comfort being with everyone, especially with Lennox at my side.
We take seats next to each other at the end of the row and chat with everyone as the referee drops the puck and the game starts.
It’s fast paced, exciting and for the entire first and second period I forget about all the bullshit. Dare I say, I’m actually having fun.
The game makes it to the last intermission with multiple shots on goal but neither team has scored yet. The hockey players skate off the ice and the announcer calls out to the crowd, instructing them to point their attention to our suite.
Lennox and I stand, waving, and the crowd screams. Even louder than some of the intense game plays that were happening over the last hour.
The screen displayed over center ice goes black and the trailer for Iron Horizon comes on.
The same one we watched during my late night show with Greg Guthrie and no matter how many times I see it, there’s still a profound sense of pride I feel.
The cloth that covers the bold letters above the suite hangs with two strings on either side of it. They told us to stand on opposite sides and when the end of the trailer finished to pull the strings in the corner.
We time it perfectly and the drape falls down onto the seats and IRON HORIZON’s name is displayed out toward the rink.
This has to be the coolest thing I’ve ever been a part of. The crowd hoots and hollers, clapping as the camera pans over the arena.
It stops on one couple as the red hearts float up the side of the screen and the word, Kiss Cam, appears over the top.
They kiss. The crowd cheers then another camera shows an elderly couple dancing in front of their seats. The old man grabs onto his wife and pulls her in for a kiss and a building wide ‘awe’ radiates from the stands.
The camera pans to our suite. Lennox and I stand smiling as we appear on the big screen and the floating hearts are back, the words Kiss Cam blinking with the beat of the music.
Of course, the crowd goes wild and starts chanting.
Kiss. Kiss. Kiss.
Lennox waves off the crowd, shaking his head and I swear his cheeks turn pink. I know it has nothing to do with the cold arena and everything to do with a public kiss. The man that’s embarrassed of nothing, blushes.
Oh, fuck it.
I have no idea what comes over me. I put my drink down in the cup holder next to me, turn to him with an unavoidable beaming smile, and crook my finger at him, gesturing for him to come closer.
He turns his body to me with a wide-eyed shocked expression as he grants me a what-the-fuck-are-you-doing look.
Before I can think anything more of it, I grab his jaw, cupping his face with both hands and slam my lips against his.
The entire arena vibrates with the noise level that echoes off the ice and slams against the walls.
Nerves tinge my body but the feeling of his lips on mine in such a public display burns through my veins.
His hand grabs my waist before he thinks better of it and he starts to pull it away, but if this is the only kind of show I can put on with him under the guise of the movie, I’m fucking doing it.
I drop my hand to his, putting it back on my waist, and deepen the kiss. Darting my tongue out, I swipe it over his bottom lip and he lets out a moan only I can hear.
Fuck. Okay. Now I need to stop.
I pull away, his dark eyes wide and still in shock but both of us smile at each other with a secret only we know, before turning to the crowd and waving, like it was all part of a show.
The players return to the ice and the third period is just as intense as our public display of affection. In the last few minutes the opposing team scores on the power play and the Spartans lose the game.
They may have lost the game tonight, but for the first time in my life I feel like I’m winning, getting everything I’ve ever wanted and I never want this feeling to end.